15 Best States for Seniors: 2024

Burger Law, a St. Louis-based personal injury law firm, has released the results of a study that ranks the 50 states for their suitability for seniors. Researchers analyzed each state for the quality and cost of health care and access to it for older people; the quality of long-term care facilities, which they categorized into 5-star, 3- to 4-star and 1- to 2-star ratings; and the average temperature in each location. They also looked at each state's safety index, and evaluated accessibility and mobility within each to determine how easily seniors can move about. In addition, researchers assessed retirement tax friendliness in the 50 states and the cost-of-living index, including housing, utilities, groceries and transportation. They then normalized and weighted all factors to reflect their effect on retirees, producing a final composite score to rank each state. Among the findings, California stood out for the highest number of nursing facilities with high-quality ratings. Vermont was the safest state for seniors. Residents of Hawaii and Florida will bask in average temperatures in the low 70s, while those in Alaska will have to bundle up in temperatures that average 27 degrees. Seven states turned out to be the most tax friendly, with a rating of 4: Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Nevada, South Dakota and Wyoming. Seven other states received a rating of 1, meaning that they are not tax friendly at all. "As a firm that often handles elder abuse cases, we understand the critical importance of choosing the right state for retirement," a Burger Law spokesperson said in a statement. "These are not just statistics; they translate into real-world benefits for seniors, such as better healthcare access and safer living conditions. Older individuals need to make informed decisions, ensuring they can enjoy a high quality of life in their later years." See the accompanying gallery for the 15 best states for seniors, according to the law firm.